1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to downloading system and, more particularly, to a downloading system which can be used by, for example, many and unspecified users to download various sorts of information according to their needs.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various sorts of software suitable for use in information apparatuses, e.g., application software for use in personal computers and contents of media (magazines, newspapers, music software, video software, game software, etc.) reproducible and/or editable by a personal computer, an audio and visual apparatus or the like, are now being provided for pay or free.
However, a user cannot obtain one of such various sorts of software except by purchasing it in a software package in the form of a CR-ROM or the like or by connecting his or her personal computer to a network such as the Internet and downloading it.
Therefore, there is a demand for a software acquisition system which can be easily used by a number of persons to obtain information according to their needs.
In view of the above-described circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a downloading system which can be used by, for example, many and unspecified users to download information according to their needs.
To achieve this object, according to the present invention, a downloading system is formed which includes a downloading terminal, a server system communicably connected to the downloading apparatus, and a recording medium with which recording and reproducing operations can be performed on the downloading terminal side.
On the recording medium, download identification (ID) information which designates information which is to be downloaded is recorded.
The downloading system is arranged in such a manner that, after the recording medium has been loaded in the downloading terminal, processing for downloading to the recording medium with the downloading terminal is allowed to be started according to a result of use condition confirmation processing using information recorded on the recording medium, and that processing for downloading certain information to the recording medium can be executed based on download ID information recorded on the recording medium loaded in the downloading terminal.
Further, the arrangement may be such that communication of information necessary for use condition confirmation processing with respect to use of the downloading terminal or for downloading processing can be executed between the downloading terminal and the server system.
Under other circumstances, a downloading system may be constituted of a downloading terminal and a recording medium with which recording and reproducing operations can be performed on the downloading terminal side. Also, download ID information which designates information which is to be downloaded is recorded on the recording medium.
This downloading system is also arranged so that, after the recording medium has been loaded in the downloading terminal, processing for downloading to the recording medium with the downloading terminal is allowed to be started according to a result of use condition confirmation processing using information recorded on the recording medium, and so that processing for downloading certain information to the recording medium can be executed based on download ID information recorded on the recording medium loaded in the downloading terminal.
In each of these downloading systems, a user pocesses his or her own recording medium corresponding to the above-described recording medium. The downloading terminal is installed, for example, on a ground of a railroad station ar at a store front to enable many and unspecified persons to use the terminal at will.
On the recording medium can be recorded discrimination code information for enabling the medium to be recognized as one adapted to the downloading system, serial number information, user ID information freely set by a user, and other information as well as the above-mentioned download ID. A user loads his or her own recording medium in one downloading terminal provided for public use. The user is allowed to use the downloading terminal according to a result of collation between information input by the user and the information on the recording medium performed as the above-mentioned use condition confirmation processing, and other collation results.
If payment of a certain charge or use is required for downloading (if, for example, fee collection based on drawing out a charged amount from a credit card account is performed), collation of a higher degree using password information is also performed as use condition confirmation processing.
If the user is allowed to use the downloading terminal after the above-described use condition confirmation processing, the user downloads information to the recording medium according to his or her need.
Specifically, the arrangement may be such that the downloading terminal automatically downloads predetermined information according to the download ID recorded on the recording medium. If downloading is performed in this manner, a user may only loads his or her recording medium in the downloading terminal to execute downloading, except for the operation for the above-described use condition confirmation processing. Needless to say, a user can select information as a downloading object without requiring such automatic downloading.
That is, if a user possesses his or her own recording medium, the of obtaining information by using the public downloading terminal is easy for the user to perform.
Use record information and fee record information with respect to payment according to use may also be recorded on the recording medium.
A plurality of downloading terminals corresponding to the above-described downloading terminal may have wireless communication means used to load the terminals with downloadable information from the server system. In such a case, data in the downloading terminals in different places can be updated promptly and easily.